Blog Post Research and Impact Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times On 24th May 2019, the Wales Centre for Public Policy and the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD) organised a conference called ‘Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times’ which brought together 45 academics, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss present and future challenges facing Wales, notably in relation to Brexit […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods July 8, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Our Theory of Change There is widespread agreement across diverse policy and research communities that evidence can play a vital role in processes of democratic deliberation on the aims, design and implementation of public policy interventions. The challenge for everyone working at the interface of policy and research is how to assess the value (impact) of what we do. […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods June 25, 2019
Blog Post Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact Evidence, practice and philosophy: How can we undertake effective evidence-informed practice in Wales? Wales is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of educational reform. Along with a distinctive approach to curriculum development comes an emphasis on transforming schools into professional learning organisations (PLOs). This results in stakeholders not only debating curricular concerns about what knowledge pupils need to know and how, but also what teachers need to know and […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs June 6, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Powers and Policy Levers - What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? As Wales marks twenty years of devolution, our latest report, Powers and Policy Levers: What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? presents the findings of a research project into the way that the Welsh Government has used the powers and policy levers available to it. Having outlined the policy context in Wales over the last […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods May 17, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Introducing our Advisory Board Members The group brings together a stellar cast of more than 20 eminent individuals with experience of having worked at the highest levels in government, public services, academia, think tanks and independent research organisations. It includes members with experience as national and local politicians, political advisers, senior civil servants, senior managers in local government, health, the […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs May 15, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact How can governments improve cross-cutting working? Cross cutting working - making sure that different departments and services work effectively with each other - is a constant challenge for all governments, even when they are as comparatively small as the Welsh Government. Last year, we were commissioned by the First Minister to synthesise the evidence on cross-cutting working, and our latest report, […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods April 17, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact The role of behaviour change in shaping public policy decisions Behaviour change is an increasingly common theme in public policy. Peter John goes as far to claim that ‘many of the greatest challenges in public policy can only be fully addressed by changing the behaviour of citizens’. Previously, public policy interventions in behaviour change worked from the assumption that behaviours were rational processes, and that […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods March 27, 2019
Blog Post Community Wellbeing Tackling Inequalities How can governments engage with the public about healthcare? One of the projects that the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) currently has on the go looks at ways that governments can engage with the public about healthcare. The Welsh Government’s plan for health and social care “A Healthier Wales” sets out public engagement as a core part of its healthcare approach going forward, […] Read more Topics: Health inequalities March 11, 2019
Blog Post Community Wellbeing How do we Tackle Loneliness? Evidence on Deprivation and Different Communities This is the third in a three-part blog series on loneliness and isolation in Wales. Part one is here, and part two is here. Here, Suzanna Nesom discusses how loneliness might be tackled for materially deprived people and in different communities, given the available evidence. This series of blogs has been exploring what is known […] Read more Topics: Local government Loneliness March 7, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Managing diverse relationships in cross-cutting government This ‘think piece’ builds on my recent presentation to a seminar for senior officials hosted by the Wales Centre for Public Policy which looked at the thorny issue of cross-government working. It isn’t an academic review, and I have deliberately not burdened it with lots of academic references. Instead I’m drawing on practical, interesting and […] Read more Topics: Diversity and inclusion Local government Research and Impact: Methods March 5, 2019
